Nintendo Plans Zelda 40th Anniversary Special Followed by Nintendo Direct
Nintendo is planning a September run of announcements that kicks off with a full-length special focused on the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, followed the next day by the company’s usual fall Nintendo Direct. The schedule also lines up with ongoing expectations around what’s coming to Switch 2, including a potential spotlight for the long-rumored Ocarina of Time remake.
Quick facts
- A first Nintendo Direct–style broadcast will focus entirely on The Legend of Zelda franchise’s 40th anniversary
- It’s set for Tuesday, 8 September 2026 at 16:00
- That special is scheduled to last 30 minutes
- Next up is the traditional fall Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, 9 September 2026 at 16:00
- The second broadcast is scheduled for 45 minutes
- Treehouse staff will follow the Direct to play selected games shown in the presentation
- Both broadcasts will stream on the Nintendo France YouTube channel
After the recent wave of coverage from events like gamescom and two separate State of Play broadcasts, Nintendo’s September window looks set to be a new focal point for players. This year, the first broadcast won’t be a standard roundup—it’s been framed as an “entirely dedicated” special centered on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary.
The announcement special is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 at 16:00, with a total runtime of 30 minutes. Given that length, Nintendo is expected to include more than a single headline: the report suggests there should be additional surprises beyond just one major reveal, potentially spanning both video games and other types of announcements.
There’s also a clear expectation that Nintendo will use the occasion to show more about the highly anticipated remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The project is described as being expected in 2026 on Switch 2, and the timing of this special is positioned as a moment when the remake could finally be unveiled—possibly even with a release date attached.
Beyond games, the same window is also mentioned as a chance to learn more about a film adaptation that’s currently expected to arrive in spring 2027. With the special’s focus on the franchise anniversary, it’s being treated as a natural platform for updates across the broader Zelda ecosystem.
Fall Direct lands the next day
The following day, Wednesday, 9 September 2026 at 16:00, Nintendo will hold its customary fall Nintendo Direct. That broadcast is set to run for 45 minutes, and the rundown is expected to start with second-half releases while also moving noticeably ahead toward the early highlights planned for 2027.
At the end of the presentation, Nintendo’s Treehouse team will take over to stream gameplay live. The plan is to play through a selection of titles that were shown during the Direct, giving viewers hands-on footage immediately after the announcements.
Both the Zelda anniversary special and the fall Nintendo Direct will be broadcast on the Nintendo France YouTube channel, keeping the September sequence consolidated in one place for fans following the announcements from start to finish.
